The Holy One Arrives
by Leanbow
Summary: Behold, for I bring you good tidings of great joy! Here into Coral Harbour this day is born, a saviour! It's Christmas Day, and the PR universe's gift is the return of Zordon! But how can this be? A select group of rangers and heroes works to uncover this mystery.


Merry Christmas, everybody! Hopefully it isn't too late for a Christmas story. I intended to put this up on the 25th, but the more details I wrote into the story, the longer to finish it it took. First I want to say that aside from some original characters of mine, Power Rangers and all it's existing characters in this story are owned by those that own them, the fine folks at Hasbro and the like. Second, sooner or later you will realize that this story is also inspired by a certain well known Christmas story, perhaps the most celebrated one of all, just with a Power Rangers twist. However since not everybody out there celebrates it or Christmas, I want to get it out right away that I am not trying to push my religious beliefs on any of you. I just want to tell a good story, and I've had this one in mind for a long time.

In the Power Rangers' universe (or universes, I should say) one thing that never changes is that when an evil menace is following through on some evil plot to conquer or destroy the world, even when violent action and casualties happen, nobody knows the true details of the conflict unless they are directly involved inside of it. And much of the time they don't need to know the full story, so long as what they do know is that a group of heroic individuals is working tirelessly to protect them. Not so different from holiday time of year, except for the scale. This year however, though things may not seem different, a gift will be given to the world.

"Commander" calls a young woman wearing a headset in the control center of Grid Battleforce.

Commander Shaw, a stern and very disciplined woman steps forward at the call.

"Our detectors are picking up two seperate energy signatures, neither resemble the ones left by Evox's viral essence or his drone technology. The first is focused at the Coral Harbour police station, and seems to be surrounded by a dark aura. The second is… not a dark energy, but it's mystical nature is interfering with our detectors. We can't pinpoint it's exact location. Shall I deploy the rangers?"

"No, just continue running scans on the energy" answers Commander Shaw, knowing that the Power Rangers Beast Morphers are unavailable. Spoiler alert for anyone who hasn't seen the episode Scrozzle's Revenge, the rangers and their beast bots left on a trip to the North Pole in Santa's sleigh.

The Commander excuses herself from the room into her private office. She may not prove the source of these strange unknown energy readings, but she suspects more than she let on. As Grid Battleforce was formed to harness the morphing grid, the source of all Power Rangers' morphing abilities, into the renewable power source Morph-X, that entitles her to certain privileges in case of emergency. As I said from the start, certain details are secret from all except those on the inside. She takes out a special communicator device from her desk and uses it to summon help.

Meanwhile it's the holiday season everywhere in the known universe this time of year, including the war torn world that is home to the city of Corinth. Gemma, the silver ranger series operator, and Dr. K are making their final preparations in the latter's laboratory headquarters before the former departs to begin celebrating.

"It isn't too late for you to join us for Christmas, you know" says Gemma. "Come on with me to Vancouver! You can check out the set of Summer's show, and the others are all going to be there. We haven't been all together since we wiped out Professor Cog's hard drive. Since then, the war with Venjix has actually been lightening up enough that you don't need to stay in your lab monitoring for trouble 24/7 anymore."

"We've assumed that before, Gemma" Dr. K answers without taking her eyes off the screen of her computer. "Sinister machines operate on calculated precision, and are not programmed to take holiday vacations. I must remain vigilant."

"I understand you better than almost everyone" Gemma responds, "but why does that have to mean that you need to isolate yourself from everything else in order to stay vigilant?"

Before the doctor can give an answer, a beacon sounds from inside Gemma's luggage. She takes it out to reveal a Transportal device resembling a remote control. Few rangers carry this controller. Only the members of a specific task force that uses these devices for dimensional travel, but whose true purpose remains a mystery. Until now. Gemma activates the communication feature, launching hologram figures of the individuals receiving this special call to arms, and the one who made it.

"What's happening, guys?" Gemma asks.

"Don't know" says one of the hologram figures, Koda, a caveman from Prehistoric times on his Earth and blue ranger to the Power Rangers Dino Charge, in his own simplistic way of speaking. "Koda getting ready for big mammoth hunt."

"It must be something important" adds Wes Collins, also appearing as a hologram figure. He comes from the prime dimension and served the Time Force Rangers as red ranger and leader. "We'll have to put a hold on our holiday plans for now, guys"

The third hologram figure is Commander Shaw. "I am the one who summoned you. I am in charge of Grid Battleforce in Coral Harbour, and we've received reports of a dark energy aura materializing in our city's police station and a second, separate energy source coming from nearby. This second source in particular is why I chose to involve you, as it is of particular interest. Our continued scans have shown that this particular energy signature perfectly matches one that materialized on Earth previously on November 21st, 1998."

"The day that Zordon sacrificed himself" Wes realizes.

"I've heard of that" Gemma recalls. "Your dimension's galaxy was under attack from the largest assembly of evil beings that had been gathered at the time."

"Yes, and when the Red Space Ranger Andros found Zordon, he selflessly told him to break open the tube containing the energy that composed his being" Wes adds.

"Wave release from tube, Zordon die and peace return" adds Koda. "Now Zordon return to Earth?"

"It seems his essence has returned" the Commander answers, "but we cannot pinpoint it's exact location."

"The energy in its pure form could not be destroyed" interrupts Dr. K, who is still in the room. "It would have been travelling through outer space aimlessly as it burned out on its own accord. Such a process can take upwards to a milenia of time, depending on the amount of energy."

"And it just sailed around until it made its way back" Gemma adds.

"Guys, this is the call we have been waiting for. We have to find Zordon's energy and find a way to gain control of it before anything happens" Wes declares.

"That is what we have reasoned may be behind the dark energy readings" explains Commander Shaw. "A new evil persons or force that wishes is also after the energy for their own dangerous ends."

"We'll start by investigating the police station" says Wes. "Commander Shaw will send us the coordinates, and we'll rendezvous there once our preparations have been set. We haven't a moment to lose."

Wes, the Commander, Gemma and Koda disconnect their Transportal devices, ending the call.

"What sort of preparations was he referring too? Dr. K asks Gemma.

"Let's just say we've been expecting this day to arrive, and those who will want to know about this. Speaking of which I could really use your help on this one, Doctor."

"I can't just abandon my post here. I told you I must remain vigilant at all times."

"Come on, you heard what's happening. Zordon's energy returning? This could mean a brighter future for everybody. You just need to have faith. The military can handle anything that might come up in your absence."

Dr. K still doesn't know if she can abandon her post and her sworn duty, but in her heart she asks herself the one question that matters: What would he do? She picks up a framed photo from her desk and looks at it intently. It is a picture encased in glass of a close up smiling face of Fries Mahoghan, helmetless but wearing the golden and orange costume he wears as the interdimensional superhero Ghest. In times of great stress, Dr. K likes to turn to this photo for guidance. She runs her fingers along the frame as she reads the autographed inscription to herself: Dear Dr. K, I'm glad we met. Always continue to use your intellect to help people in need and do the right thing. You have a much higher purpose in this life than just fighting a war. Sincerely, your friend, Ghest.

"All right. I know what I have to do. I'm coming with you."

At that moment, in another realm, different preparations are being made. A thin, pale human man in a black suit sits on a black throne in a cave devoid of any unnatural light. As a shadowy silhouette forms on the floor from the wall, the dark man tells it what to do.

"The rangers will have been informed about the energy wave, but like us have probably not discovered it's location. They are to be confronted by one of our agents, who will determine the location from them and arrive first"

The shadow vanishes in silence.

"Zordon's lineage must not be allowed to survive. The universe was born in darkness, and I will return it to that state."

The lines have been drawn.

Inside the Coral Harbour police station station, three black hole shaped portals open from the air. Out from each one steps Wes, Koda, and Gemma with Dr. K, respectively. Every officer has been cleared out of the building. Suddenly Koda steps in front of the others and focuses on the entrance doors intently.

"Nose smells something evil" he explains. Having to hunt to survive, Koda has somewhat sharper senses than others.

The glass doors and the attached wall are pried open with a sudden burst of force. Gemma slowly pushes herself in front of Dr. K to help shield her from debris. A well built ninja dressed head to toe in black steps through.

"Right to it, I see. Let's get ready guys" says Wes.

He holds up the Time Force morpher on his wrist and taps the buttons, Gemma pops her engine cell into her Sky Morpher and Koda inserts his Dino Charger into the hole of his blaster. In seconds, the three are morphed into their respective ranger suits. They run towards the ninja and attack from different sides. As Dr. K backs out of the room for safety, she hears a voice coming from further inside the building.

"Is somebody out there? I'm stuck in here!"

As she follows the voice, the others are defending themselves. Wes and Koda try to hold his arms, but as they grab onto them the ninja starts growing in size, and capitalizes on this distraction to shake the two male rangers away. Gemma tries to strike him in the chest, but he blocks her arm and swats her backwards. Koda attacks again with his Stego Shield. The ninja grows again after being struck and throws a punch of his own that Koda blocks. With his other hand the ninja punches Koda directly in his midsection sending him flying backwards. Wes summons his Chrono Sabers and uses them one at a time to attempt to hit the ninja, who is dodging the blows.

Dr K steps into a back room where the voice was coming from. It leads to a small hallway containing a few jail cells. Nothing large, just some small rooms where petty criminals are detained for a short while. There is a man, an african-american in his early to mid-twenties, inside one of them.

"What happened? What's going on out there? Can you get me out of here?" he frantically asks her.

"I don't know the reason why you were detained in here" the Doctor answers, "But under the circumstances it is too dangerous to have you confined."

She finds the keys on an officer's desk and opens the cell door.

"Do you know of a back way out of here?" she asks him.

"No" he responds, "but you didn't answer my question. What's going on? I heard things crashing and walls breaking."

"You should be more concerned with getting yourself to safety" she tells him.

"Why is that?" he interjects, his outrage rising. "You think I'm only concerned about saving my own skin just because I was in that cell? I'm some dumb criminal who can't be trusted?"

The dark shadowy ninja jerks his head in the direction of the hallway as if he heard the man's arguing. He did not, assumedly, but seems to be feeding off of the negative emotion. He grows in size once more, and turns his attention back to the rangers.

"I don't know the first thing about you" Dr. K argues. "Only that you were detained here for something. There is a powerful monster attacking the foyer of this building that my friend and her associates are attempting to apprehend. I hardly think that the two of us debating each other is relevant at this time."

"Did you say monster?" he asks, changing his tone. "Like a Power Rangers type thing?"

"Yes. My companions are rangers who as we speak are taking that creature on in battle. Now then, sir-"

"My name's Xavier."

"All right Xavier, now you see why we should table these issues of your incarceration status until our immediate danger has passed?"

"You're right, but I'm not going to just sit and wait. I can't fight any monsters but I want to see what's happening. I'm on the inside of this now."

"Fine" the Doctor agrees.

As they enter back down the hallway from the office to the entrance area, Xavier's newfound calmness is making a difference. The Ninja no longer has negative energy to absorb. He suddenly shrinks back down to original size. Taking advantage of this, Koda grabs his shoulder from behind and throws him towards the broken doorway. As he stumbles back to his feet, Wes and Gemma then summon weapons.

"Skyshift Blazer!" exclaims Gemma as she combines her morpher with her Cloud Hatchet weapon to form a blaster.

"Vortex Blaster!" Wes calls out, a miniature cannon appearing in his hands.

They fire on the ninja, and he explodes. Dr K and Xavier join the rangers. Wes' Transportal device activates with a hologram message.

"Wesley" says Commander Shaw. "We have a location on Zordon's energy. It's at the hospital, three miles west."

"Wait, my girlfriend is at the hospital" Xavier interjects. "She hurt her knee and said it was feeling sore."

"Guys, let's go" says Wes.

"I'm coming with you" Xavier insists.

"Wait a minute" says Dr. K. "Now that the dark ninja has been dealt with, you are no longer in danger. But I found you in that cell for a reason. You need to stay here and face what may be coming to you."

"Forget that!" he exclaims. "I didn't commit any crime. I was just walking past a bank that happened to get robbed. The officers singled me out just because I wanted to check out the scene, and when they found out I had a record, they accused me of having something to do with it."

"But you do have a criminal record" asks Gemma.

"Yeah when I was young and stupid, and I've spent some time in an actual prison, but I worked hard to put that in my past. I'm not the same guy I was then, struggling and misplacing my anger that way. I know I should sort things out with the police and clear my name here, but I can't knowing my girl could be in trouble."

"But, you with us, mean more danger" Koda pleads.

Wes takes a hard, though quick, look at the situation. He was looked at as little more than a spoiled rich kid before joining the Time Force Rangers, and it changed his whole life for the better. Doesn't a young man like Xavier, who wants to live a good life and cares deeply for the one he loves, deserve the same opportunity?

"All right, you can come with us to see if your girlfriend is okay" he decides. "But we have to leave right away."

As they run out of the building, a shadow roaming the wall seems to shift itself out of a fixed position and appears to roll off the wall as if it's following them. That's because it is.

"Time Jet!" Wes calls out.

A glider aircraft appears above them and they leap up on it, with the rangers holding onto Xavier and Dr. K. Within seconds they have traveled the distance to the hospital, but as they look for a landing spot they see a group of the same dark ninjas entering first. Gemma and Koda jump off of the Time Jet to pursue them, while Wes steers the jet to an open window on a higher floor of the hospital. He, Xavier and Dr. K step through.

"We need to find somebody" Wes shouts as he flags down a nurse.

"Wow, you're a Power Ranger!" the nurse excitedly responds.

"Look, I have to find my girlfriend Jasmine Fleece" Xavier interrupts. "She should be in the physical therapy ward."

The nurse thinks. "Fleece… A woman with that name was admitted earlier today, but to the maternity ward."

"Maternity Ward?" Xavier exclaims.

"I believe the custom is to say "congratulations", so… congratulations" Dr. K says.

Xavier can hardly speak. "But… pregnant… I had no idea"

"She can clear things up once we find her" Wes reminds him. "If those shadow creeps are here, they must be after the same energy we are. Be strong. You got this."

They arrive to the maternity ward as fast as they can. A shadow edges itself off the wall and casts a hand towards a civilian girl. Wes blasts it away from her with his Time Force blaster. It shrivels away.

"Jasmine!" Xavier calls out.

"Xavier?" The girl turns around. It is indeed Jasmine, and she is indeed pregnant. She runs into his arms for a hug.

Dr. K notices something. "Wes, look at your morpher. It's glowing."

Wes holds it closer, and it is indeed glowing bright colours.

"I'm not upset as much as I'm relieved you're okay" Xavier tells her, "but why didn't you tell me we were having a baby?"

Jasmine gives him a strange look. "I wanted to tell you, but just look at me!" She holds out her arms to display her stomach, looking like it belongs to a woman at the end of her pregnancy, instead of the beginning. "I did not look like this when you last saw me. I didn't even look like this when I woke up this morning. How on Earth can I explain suddenly being this pregnant?"

She gets distracted seeing Wes in full uniform. "And a Power Ranger is here too."

Suddenly another Transportal opens near them, and through it steps a blue armored (or is it his natural form?) warrior and a smaller humanoid shaped robot with a flat circular head.

"All right, someone needs to tell me what's going on here!" Jasmine rants, "and they need to tell me now!"

"What's going on here is that after receiving the rangers' notification of Zordon's life essence returning to Earth after all these years, we trace the signal to this exact spot yet find no visible energy trail" says the blue guy, Ninjor, creator of the Mighty Morphin' Rangers' power coins. "Wes, where is the energy? Where is Zordon?"

"Who is Zordon?" Xavier shouts.

Wes gathers his thoughts. "Zordon's energy is here on Earth today but we can't see it. Jasmine here got rapidly pregnant in less than a day. And my morpher is reacting to something that is in this hospital with us. I think" he pauses. He mutters to himself "could it be?" Finally he shares his theory with the others. "Xavier, I don't think you're the father of Jasmine's baby. I think Zordon's essence IS the baby."

Stunned silence.

"As a scientist I believe the custom is for me to not believe a word of this, even at Christmastime." Dr K replies. "I was joking."

"Ay-yi-yi-yi-yi!" says the robot, Alpha 5, as he gyrates his body excitedly. "If anyone could accomplish reincarnation through the morphin grid, it is Zordon!"

Jasmine suddenly feels faint and starts to sink. As Wes and Xavier help her to sit down on the floor, she gets a look of pain on her face. At the end of the entrance hallway, some dark ninjas open the door and point to the good guys silently as they slowly lurch forward. Wes and Ninjor strike defensive poses.

"Her water just broke!" Dr. K screams out.

Wes turns to her. "Well, you're the doctor here. Take care of it!"

"I am not that kind of doctor! The Doctor responds, shocked by the situation.

"I will deliver the baby" says Alpha, who crouches down on the floor in front of Jasmine. "I am programmed with the knowledge to perform every form of human care, and Zordon was my best friend for centuries before his sacrifice. It would be my highest honour to do this."

"But not on a hallway floor!" Dr. K interjects. "Not without a sterilized surface. Let me retrieve some sheets from one of the unused rooms of this ward."

"Then HURRY!" shrieks Jasmine as she goes into labour.

Dr K runs to the nearest room in the opposite direction from the way the ninjas are coming. They keep inching forward, but Gemma and Koda re-emerge from behind them and slash them all in a line with their Cloud Hatchet and Dino Saber weapons.

"That's the last of them" Gemma tells the others. "What's going on here?"

"Do we have a story for you" Ninjor says.

Jasmine screams out in pain. Xavier starts walking away. Wes goes after him.

"Don't worry, I'll talk to him" Wes tells Jasmine. "Somebody hold her hand" he says to the group.

"Koda do it!" Koda says as he takes her hand in his. "Koda has caveman strength (as Jasmine grips tightly during a contraction) … Ow!"

"Xavier, wait" Wes says as he puts his hand on the other man's shoulder to stop him from leaving. "I know this is a whole lot to take in."

"You think?" Xavier responds sarcastically. "This would be a lot to take in if my girlfriend was having a normal, everyday human baby. But to give birth to the new saviour of the universe? Having a loser like me as a dad would only hold both of them back, and it's not like I'm even his real father anyway! I don't fit in!"

"Yes you do fit in!" Wes insists. "You love Jasmine, and that love will see you through the arrival of your child. You didn't run away even when you were freed from a locked jail during a monster attack, and when you heard this hospital might be a target you came in here with us without even knowing what we might face. You aren't a loser, you're a goddamned hero!"

Xavier looks down at the floor, his eyes filling with tears. Wes powers down and demorphs, his hand still on Xavier's shoulder.

"There's no better father that child could have, and you know it."

Xavier wipes his eyes, takes Wes's hand off of his own shoulder with one hand and puts his other arm around Wes' shoulder. "Thanks, red ranger."

"Call me Wes."

They walk back over to the group. The other rangers have demorphed as well, and Jasmine is resting comfortably holding her new infant son. Xavier picks him up, and looks into his eyes. Such an innocent baby, unaware of his own origins and how much potential he will have for the future.

"Wow, it's our son" he says as he eases the baby back into his girlfriend's arms.

"Exactly. That's all that matters."

"How did the birth go?" Wes asks the others.

"It went perfectly" Alpha answers. "The baby and mother are both in perfect health."

"Oh yes, it went fine" adds Ninjor. (whispering) "And thankfully, the child did not have a large head"

Ninjor and Alpha share a laugh silently, so as not to ruin the moment for the others.

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, even though it is one of the skills I excel in" says Dr. K, "but whatever was responsible for those ninja abbhorritions is still out there, and we are no closer to finding out their origins than we were when this began."

"She has a point" Gemma agrees. "The baby, and Xavier and Jasmine, remain possible targets. Not just for those shadows, but if any evil person find out what the child represents."

"Perhaps I can help with that" Ninjor says. "At one point I suspected that Zordon's energy would take the form of a living creature, and decided to come bearing gifts."

He takes out a small box, from where I have no idea, does he even have pockets? Anyway, he opens the box and it contains two coins. Like the Dino and Ninja coins, one shines with a red glow, and the other black.

"One was for the essence of Zordon, if it did indeed take a physical form, and the other was to be one to bestow upon a close companion when the time came to form a new team of rangers" Ninjor explains.

"A baby can't be a power ranger, that's for sure" Xavier reasons. "But maybe his father can."

He picks up the black coin.

"Our son and I can learn self-defence and martial arts from you guys, I hope. It's only right that the red coin belongs to him. Red rangers are the leaders, after all."

"I always thought of myself as the leader of the RPM rangers" interrupts Dr. K. "But what if there is an attempt on your lives before you have a chance to learn how to protect yourselves? I think Your family should return with Gemma and myself to our dimension to stay safe."

"Stay safe on a world where evil robots are at war with humans?" Wes asks skeptically. "Maybe hiding out somewhere away from here is a good idea, though."

"Oh! Family can join Koda" suggests… guess who. "Baby can learn to ride dinosaurs and wrestle sabre-toothed cats."

"Actually, I had another idea" says Wes.

Just then another portal opens, and through it steps Jen Scotts, Time Force officer and Pink Ranger of the Time Force Rangers. She greets Wes with a big hug.

"Go with Jen and our friends to the 31st century. The universal police organization Time Force protects the entire Earth, and that protection extends to the stars. It's the safest place I can think of for you guys to live out your lives in peace."

"Just leave, uproot our entire lives just like that?" Jasmine asks, incredulously.

"We have advanced communication technology to contact any family or friends you can trust with this information, and when you are ready we can return you to this exact moment in time, or whenever your son so chooses to begin his mission" assures Jen.

"All right. We're doing this" Xavier says.

"It really is the best thing for him" agrees Jasmine.

"Good luck, to all three of you" says Gemma. "You know how to reach us."

"Good baby" says Koda.

"You were right, Gemma" Dr K tells her friend. "I made the right choice to come with you, to be one of the lucky few to be a part of something truly special. We can brainstorm ideas to radio to this world's future and help map this child's quest. But first, let's get back to our world and go see our friends in Vancouver for Christmas."

With a smile on her face, Gemma activates her Transportal device and after saying some quick goodbyes, she and Dr. K step through the portal back to their own world. Koda does the same, and Nonjor and Alpha step through the portal to the future that Jen arrived in. As Xavier and Jasmine step inside with their now sleeping baby, they bring up another important question.

"What are we going to name our miracle baby?" Jasmine asks.

"I'm not sure. It kind of puts on the pressure, trying to think of a name for someone predestined to be the all-star of the next generation's Power Rangers."

"All-star?" repeats Jasmine.

"Alistair" they both say, sharing the same thought.

Now it's just Wes and Jen alone.

"Sounds like you had a memorable Christmas this year" she tells him.

"Definitely" he agrees. "I just wish we could have spent more of it together. Christmas is almost over."

"You're talking to a girl who has access to a time machine, you know" she jokes.

He laughs. They share a kiss, and enter the portal, which closes behind them.

The End

Epilogue Ending 1

After the portal closes, a man in a green and red patterned shirt with white-ish khaki pants and a black jacket tied around his waist emerges from the corner. This man is known to almost everyone present for the birth as Tommy Oliver, a veteran ranger who has worn many colours, specifically the ones I've just mentioned. He was watching the events that transpired but chose not to make his presence known. It's not that he didn't want to, even just to say a quick hello or Merry Christmas. Instead though, he remained out of sight and sound, simply content to watch. Why? Perhaps he felt the attention would automatically shift to him and some might resent him for that, as if it was his attention to steal focus. In that way, he doesn't envy the child of Zordon. But perhaps when the boy comes of age, he can become the light for people to look to when they want a hero to save them. Then finally, maybe Tommy can pass the torch and lift that weight he has carried for years off of himself. It's hard to know how it will play out, but all that matters to Tommy is that like many significant events in ranger history, he was here today to see it. And he intends to be there when the son of Zordon returns.

Epilogue Ending 2

The man in the black suit is lying listlessly on his dark throne, replaying the day's events in his mind.

"All that stealth, all that creeping, and I couldn't get my hands on the child. Me, lose? It is inconceivable! But perhaps my plan was never meant to succeed at all. Yes, with powerful allies at it's side, I never stood a chance. I'm thinking that if I am to be ready to fulfill my role in this grand game of design, I need a powerful ally of my own. Yes, that's what I'll do!"

He takes a book resembling a witch or warlock's book of magic.

"But who? A spirit, perhaps? A member of the undead, a dark soul, (flipping pages) Hold the phone. I choose.. Him!

He stops his finger at a picture of Lokar the Terrible, and starts to laugh maniacally.


End file.
